To take full advantage of all features you need to login or register. Registration is completely free and takes only a few seconds.

Microsoft software bug sinks Intel Itanium

The Inquirer is reporting that there appears to be a bug in Windows Server 2003 64-bit Edition that affects Itanium systems in a very bad way.

MICROSOFT SAID that if your Itanium system stops "abruptly" when it's running Windows Server 2003 64-bit Enterprise Edition, you might find yourself with a very expensive bit of tin that won't start again, despite your best efforts.
The problem happens, claims Microsoft, because of the Extensible Firmware Interface which does a heap of things at startup to "verify the hardware".

Apparently there is a Hotfix available, but you have to contact Microsoft to get it. Take a look.

Related Stories

05/17/2004 02:26 PM: Microsoft&#39;s Ease of Use vs. Linux&#39; Sweat Equity by Jim_
OSViews is running an article this morning that compares Windows and Linux. Not exactly a unique topic but one that's discussed and debated on a regular basis all over the internet. Being filled with ...

05/11/2004 02:02 PM: Microsoft Corrects: No XP SP2 for Pirated Copies by Jim_
It was previously reported that Service Pack 2 for Windows XP would install for users with pirated copies of the operating system. According to eWeek, that's not necessarily the case. &quot;Recent pre...

05/11/2004 01:58 PM: Can Microsoft and Sun Co-Exist? by Jim_
C|Net is running a short article entitled: &quot;Can Microsoft, Sun coexist?&quot; This, of course, is in reference to a surprising agreement between the two companies last month. Further down the roa...

04/27/2004 12:59 PM: Microsoft by Jim_
A few of you emailed me that X-Bit has posted some details about Microsoft's XBox 2 Architecture. Microsoft will use IBM...

04/14/2004 12:34 AM: Microsoft Announces Three More Critical Vulnerabilities by Jim_
As I was wandering by Slashdot this evening I noticed that there are three new security vulnerabilities in Windows operating systems. Microsoft took it on the security chin Tuesday as it released Apri...

04/02/2004 05:24 PM: Sun and Microsoft Settle Litigation by Jim_
Some additional Sun information for you today. Sun and Microsoft have settled some ongoing litigation the result of which will be approximately 2 billion dollars being paid to Sun to resolve pending a...

03/24/2004 03:03 PM: EU Fines Microsoft $613 Million by Jim_
Usually I wouldn't post something like this, but when I saw the size of the fine it made me whistle out loud, so here we are. I noticed the story over at Slashdot and they have links to coverage of th...

02/25/2004 03:01 PM: Microsoft Beta Includes Built-in Virus Scanner by Jim
Since Slashdot was kind enough to send over some traffic yesterday, I thought I'd return the favor. They're reporting that Microsoft is BETA-testing an anti-virus scanner to throw in with Windows XP S...

02/13/2004 02:31 PM: Microsoft source code leaked by Jim
spikegifted was kind enough to send in this link from the BBC News detailing the very interesting story about Microsoft's source code being leaked. Microsoft spokesman Tom Pilla said the company did n...

02/04/2004 02:48 PM: Microsoft fends off MyDoom Attack by Jim
SCO wasn't able to keep www.sco.com alive under the denial of service attack which resulted from the MyDoom worm but Microsoft seems to have survived the storm. MSNBC has the details: The virus, calle...

Comment

sAvAgE69
Unregistered

#29435 Posted on: 05/25/2004 07:47 PM

Note In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

so yeah you will be charged :rolleyes:

Comment

I also question calling this a "Microsoft software bug". AFAIK, Microsoft does not supply the original EFI firmware that comes with an Itanium box. That they're distributing a corrected version is a good thing, but at least in *my* Itanium, the stock firmware was there before I ever installed the OS, and it's still there.

Comment

burmese
Registered User

Posts: 186
Joined: 2002-01-20

#29437 Posted on: 05/25/2004 09:52 PM
Well, its a bug in the way the OS and the firmware communicate. either side (MS/Intel) could provide a fix, I think.
~\_/~\_O
Burmese

Comment

KimVette
Corvette Fanatic

Posts: 943
Joined: 2002-07-30

#29438 Posted on: 05/25/2004 10:06 PM

Originally posted by sAvAgE69 so yeah you will be charged :rolleyes:

Uh, no. When you call MS support for a product, be it for a game, a POS, enterprise OS, or development environment, and the issue you're encountering is directly or indirectly caused by a bug, you are not charged for that incident. Microsoft may be faulted for many things, but poor customer service is not one of them.
My configuration: Many hopelessly outdated SMP boxen. Any system which is shipping is already obsolete!
u r lame if u insist on trying 2 b l337 by abbrev evythng u type when asking ppl 4 hlp. kiddie speak is teh sux. ppl. plz stop teh kiddie speak. thx.
hint: aol kiddie speak is not cool, it just makes people not want to read your post.

Comment

jrv-austin
Registered User

Posts: 256
Joined: 2004-01-19

#29439 Posted on: 05/26/2004 12:13 AM

Originally posted by jeh Generally in these cases, no, you're not.

I also question calling this a "Microsoft software bug". AFAIK, Microsoft does not supply the original EFI firmware that comes with an Itanium box. That they're distributing a corrected version is a good thing, but at least in *my* Itanium, the stock firmware was there before I ever installed the OS, and it's still there.

EFI was written by a Microsoftee (the same one that inflicted ACPI on us).